“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.”
I relate to this for me trying to gain righteousness through trying to keep the whole law. Grateful Christ has fulfilled the whole law in His heart, to give me His righteousness. Asking my God to help me give up my flesh and live in His Spirit.
Like
Pastor Steve
4d ago
Replying to
I love this...we are now free to do the 10 Commandment!! I wish I did it perfectly, or even well....but we are free from the judgement and condemnation that the law brings!
Like
Ben
Apr 18
“yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified….. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”
Galatians 2:16, 21 ESV
I am grateful for Paul to speak directly about righteousness is given to me by Christ’s works of keeping the law perfectly, not my works of me trying to keep the law. I obviously can’t, however, my ego/pride/heart deceives me by lying to me saying that I don’t need Christ and can earn righteousness by behaving well/obeying the law. It is a blessing that God, through His word (especially these verses), cuts to my heart, reminds me I can’t earn righteousness by my works, but only be given righteousness by God through the Holy Spirit enabling me to believe in Christ and what He has already accomplished. It is a blessing that He spells it out directly to me.
Like
Karlee
Apr 15
Galatians 4 "known by God" .... it's not that we know Him, it's that He knows us! This struck me today. We are KNOWN! It feels like like a deep word, to have someone know you or get you. And with that, He loves us and sent us His son.
Like
Ben
Apr 09
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
I can identify on behaving/living like this: not submitting to God as my King and then essentially being my own king and determining what is right or wrong. For me, at times, I can be filled with much fear and anguish, that I really try to take matters into my own hands and live how I think I should live. Then my life usually turns into a mess. I have to give up my unwillingness to trust my God as King, and ask for the willingness to trust Him, to try to walk with Him to do His will even when I feel like I really can’t see where I am going, and asking Him to help me to remember that He will wipe away every tear, He will dwell with me forever and does now, and He leads me. Easier said than done, but trying to make progress on this.
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Pastor Steve
Apr 13
Replying to
I know there is so much truth in God's Word and I see that in my own life. I just don't like always being told what is right and in turn I end up doing my own thing. Yet, when we get it right, we consider others. This love for God and love for neighbor makes for better community and relationships...but my selfishness is natural. I pray we can do the unnatural thing!
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Ben
Apr 05
“Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.”
Judges 10:16 NIV
I could be wrong in my interpretation and understanding of this verse and the rest of Judges 10 leading up to this, however, this verse hit my heart. The fact that God (referred to the “he” pronoun in this verse, as I understand this) was bearing Israel’s misery, as Israel was being oppressed for 18 years from the Philistines and the Ammonites, just rocked my world, because it seems to me that God is experiencing the misery that Israel is experiencing. Isaiah expressed God experiencing Israel’s distress as mentioned in Isaiah 63:9 NIV: “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” My entire point of this all is: God experiences my pain and suffering in real time showing that I am literally spiritually and emotionally connected with God in my distress, which comforts me, because at least I am not alone in the pain, even if the pain doesn’t go away. That gives me hope to endure the pain, because at least I am connected to my God through this hardship, making memories of this all with Him, and being cared for in these sufferings by Him, respectfully.
Back to the Judges’ verse of God could bear Israel’s misery no longer, God then used Jephthah to deliver Israel from the Ammonites. God again was merciful to Israel by helping Israel overcome their oppressors. It shows to me how personal God is to me, walking through the hardships with me, and just showing how much He cares about me, for His glory and namesake. It is nice to see that expressed with Him resurrecting His Son today (Easter Sunday), for His glory and namesake, that I get to be part of His family forever.
Like
Ben
Mar 27
In Judges 1-3, I appreciate the honesty that the Judges’ author, possibly Samuel or whomever the author was, had with writing harsh reality pattern that: Israel forsake God, followed other gods (Baal and Ashoriah?), harmful consequences followed from their actions, Israel cried out for help to God, God delivered them by sending a Judge, the Israelites worshiped God, the Judge dies, then the Israelites forsake God, and the pattern continues. I appreciate it, because it just seems to support that God is real, that these evens really did happen, and that it showed God’s heart of justice, love, and compassion is still there despite Israel’s choices, because I don’t think if someone was going to try to make up this Israelite story, respectfully, they would include these embarrassing facts to support their agenda, in my opinion. I can identify with the Israelites, at times, forsaking God, worshiping my heart and/or other gods and experiencing those harmful consequences from doing that. Then, by God’s will, trying to cry out to Him for Him and His help, and I am grateful that He is compassionate with me and comes for me still, as a sinner that I am. Grateful for His patience and grace for me in Christ’s works, not mine.
Like
Pastor Steve
Mar 30
Replying to
It is easy to identify with the cycle in the book of Judges. We do what is right in our own eyes, we experience oppression (really, God's discipline), we repent, and God restores. This cycle is simplified in the New Testament with death and resurrection (great week to mention that! :-) ). We die to our sinful nature, and rise to the new nature given in our baptism. This spiritual warfare goes on within each and every Christian through repentance and forgiveness! And our God always restores, rescues and redeems!
You also are great in pointing out the rational for why the Bible truly is the inspired Word of God. Most people would try to redact or leave out their failures...not so with God's people. He doesn't do this so that we look stupid, or even so that we learn from it! He does this to show His unchanging nature! Gracious, compassionate, merciful, slow to anger, and always abounding in His steadfast love!
Like
Karlee
Mar 26
"On this rock, I will build my church" ...Today this verse struck me, when dealing with parenting woes and being down in the trenches, Josh and I reflect on this. We are building the foundation for our boys. In their spiritual life, discipline, being respectful gentlemen, etc. This verse made me think about laying that foundation for them and as they grow up and the important values we want them to shine as they get older.
Like
Pastor Steve
Mar 26
Replying to
And then we get to go outside and see the foundation for the cafeteria addition being set before our eyes...it isn't easy work, but it is so important!!
Like
Ben
Mar 07
Deuteronomy 9 hits me, based on that Moses tells the Israelites that it is not because of their integrity or their righteousness that the LORD gave them the Promised Land, but it was due to God keeping His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and due to the wickedness of the foreign nations there.
Most of the time, anything positive that happens to me, I want to take 100% of the credit and do, at times, truly think that this positive event happened to me because of how good I am. Nope. Check the facts. Me claiming that I can see, makes me blind, and all I have, in my opinion, is a result of God’s will. I couldn’t cause myself to be born when I wanted to, and this is just one example that it’s all God behind this, not me. It was an important reminder for me to try to remember Who is running the show: God is, not me. Easier said than done, asking my God to help me grow in this truth more.
Like
Karlee
Mar 05
Deut beginning chapters: what really stuck out to me is diligently teaching your children and may your family be blessed! My husband, Josh, is blessed to have grown up in a huge family who really support each other and are very open in praying and talking about their faith tomorrow. Josh and I hope to instill those same values with our own boys and I love watching them grow up and see the ways they have already grown in their faith as toddlers.
Like
Karlee
Mar 05
"He restores my soul!" Psalm 23 ... in anything and everything, He restores my soul. I love that shift from Psalm 22 (despair) to Psalm 23 (He restores/leads/my cup overflows). So often do I see in my own life shifting from one extreme to the other as you see in the Psalms. I'm glad it's not just me that struggles with this! I think no matter what I am feeling, it is good to remember that He restores me. Teaching, motherhood, daily living...it can all be hard at times and He restores me and I am new each morning to continue in His ministry!
Like
Pastor Steve
Mar 05
Replying to
Yes, the struggle is real! If only we knew of the victory that is ours...may it shift our despair amid the struggles!
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.”
Galatians 5:1-6 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gal.5.1-6.ESV
I relate to this for me trying to gain righteousness through trying to keep the whole law. Grateful Christ has fulfilled the whole law in His heart, to give me His righteousness. Asking my God to help me give up my flesh and live in His Spirit.
“yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified….. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”
Galatians 2:16, 21 ESV
I am grateful for Paul to speak directly about righteousness is given to me by Christ’s works of keeping the law perfectly, not my works of me trying to keep the law. I obviously can’t, however, my ego/pride/heart deceives me by lying to me saying that I don’t need Christ and can earn righteousness by behaving well/obeying the law. It is a blessing that God, through His word (especially these verses), cuts to my heart, reminds me I can’t earn righteousness by my works, but only be given righteousness by God through the Holy Spirit enabling me to believe in Christ and what He has already accomplished. It is a blessing that He spells it out directly to me.
Galatians 4 "known by God" .... it's not that we know Him, it's that He knows us! This struck me today. We are KNOWN! It feels like like a deep word, to have someone know you or get you. And with that, He loves us and sent us His son.
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
Judges 17:6 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jdg.17.6.ESV
I can identify on behaving/living like this: not submitting to God as my King and then essentially being my own king and determining what is right or wrong. For me, at times, I can be filled with much fear and anguish, that I really try to take matters into my own hands and live how I think I should live. Then my life usually turns into a mess. I have to give up my unwillingness to trust my God as King, and ask for the willingness to trust Him, to try to walk with Him to do His will even when I feel like I really can’t see where I am going, and asking Him to help me to remember that He will wipe away every tear, He will dwell with me forever and does now, and He leads me. Easier said than done, but trying to make progress on this.
“Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.”
Judges 10:16 NIV
I could be wrong in my interpretation and understanding of this verse and the rest of Judges 10 leading up to this, however, this verse hit my heart. The fact that God (referred to the “he” pronoun in this verse, as I understand this) was bearing Israel’s misery, as Israel was being oppressed for 18 years from the Philistines and the Ammonites, just rocked my world, because it seems to me that God is experiencing the misery that Israel is experiencing. Isaiah expressed God experiencing Israel’s distress as mentioned in Isaiah 63:9 NIV: “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” My entire point of this all is: God experiences my pain and suffering in real time showing that I am literally spiritually and emotionally connected with God in my distress, which comforts me, because at least I am not alone in the pain, even if the pain doesn’t go away. That gives me hope to endure the pain, because at least I am connected to my God through this hardship, making memories of this all with Him, and being cared for in these sufferings by Him, respectfully.
Back to the Judges’ verse of God could bear Israel’s misery no longer, God then used Jephthah to deliver Israel from the Ammonites. God again was merciful to Israel by helping Israel overcome their oppressors. It shows to me how personal God is to me, walking through the hardships with me, and just showing how much He cares about me, for His glory and namesake. It is nice to see that expressed with Him resurrecting His Son today (Easter Sunday), for His glory and namesake, that I get to be part of His family forever.
In Judges 1-3, I appreciate the honesty that the Judges’ author, possibly Samuel or whomever the author was, had with writing harsh reality pattern that: Israel forsake God, followed other gods (Baal and Ashoriah?), harmful consequences followed from their actions, Israel cried out for help to God, God delivered them by sending a Judge, the Israelites worshiped God, the Judge dies, then the Israelites forsake God, and the pattern continues. I appreciate it, because it just seems to support that God is real, that these evens really did happen, and that it showed God’s heart of justice, love, and compassion is still there despite Israel’s choices, because I don’t think if someone was going to try to make up this Israelite story, respectfully, they would include these embarrassing facts to support their agenda, in my opinion. I can identify with the Israelites, at times, forsaking God, worshiping my heart and/or other gods and experiencing those harmful consequences from doing that. Then, by God’s will, trying to cry out to Him for Him and His help, and I am grateful that He is compassionate with me and comes for me still, as a sinner that I am. Grateful for His patience and grace for me in Christ’s works, not mine.
"On this rock, I will build my church" ...Today this verse struck me, when dealing with parenting woes and being down in the trenches, Josh and I reflect on this. We are building the foundation for our boys. In their spiritual life, discipline, being respectful gentlemen, etc. This verse made me think about laying that foundation for them and as they grow up and the important values we want them to shine as they get older.
Deuteronomy 9 hits me, based on that Moses tells the Israelites that it is not because of their integrity or their righteousness that the LORD gave them the Promised Land, but it was due to God keeping His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and due to the wickedness of the foreign nations there.
Most of the time, anything positive that happens to me, I want to take 100% of the credit and do, at times, truly think that this positive event happened to me because of how good I am. Nope. Check the facts. Me claiming that I can see, makes me blind, and all I have, in my opinion, is a result of God’s will. I couldn’t cause myself to be born when I wanted to, and this is just one example that it’s all God behind this, not me. It was an important reminder for me to try to remember Who is running the show: God is, not me. Easier said than done, asking my God to help me grow in this truth more.
Deut beginning chapters: what really stuck out to me is diligently teaching your children and may your family be blessed! My husband, Josh, is blessed to have grown up in a huge family who really support each other and are very open in praying and talking about their faith tomorrow. Josh and I hope to instill those same values with our own boys and I love watching them grow up and see the ways they have already grown in their faith as toddlers.
"He restores my soul!" Psalm 23 ... in anything and everything, He restores my soul. I love that shift from Psalm 22 (despair) to Psalm 23 (He restores/leads/my cup overflows). So often do I see in my own life shifting from one extreme to the other as you see in the Psalms. I'm glad it's not just me that struggles with this! I think no matter what I am feeling, it is good to remember that He restores me. Teaching, motherhood, daily living...it can all be hard at times and He restores me and I am new each morning to continue in His ministry!